Football For the Light Man

THE PRESS

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED
June 5, 1931

The Princetonian, in its leading editorial Saturday, stressed the desirability of instituting 150-pound football as a recognized sport at Princeton. Today we wish to describe the essentials of the organization at Yale and Harvard, where the sport has been successfully tried, and then to offer what we think would be the most logical basis upon which to inaugurate the sport at Princeton.

At Yale the sport was adopted a year ago, and a distinct 150 pound squad with limited membership was organized. The team's schedule included principally games with preparatory schools and class teams, and numerals were awarded for participation in the intercollegiate game with Harvard. The one paid coach was aided by three undergraduate volunteers.

The sport was recognized by the Athletic Association at Harvard as a minor sport last year. There also, the team was entirely "Independent of the University squad," and was under a separate group of coaches. Games were played with outside institutions, in addition to practice contests with class and dormitory teams. The sport is to be discontinued next year in order that it will not compete with the new system of house athletics; but the sport's termination there does not reflect on its popularity, since there has been widespread and vigorous opposition to its discontinuation.

We believe that a 150-pound football squad should be organized at Princeton and should be supervised and coached in the same way as the so-called minor sports. One coach in an official capacity would suffice, since it can fairly be expected that undergraduates would volunteer to assist. The season's schedule could consist of games with class teams, preparatory schools and 150-pound teams from other colleges. The expense of obtaining equipment and engaging a coach indeed presents one obstacle to the plan. But it is quite possible that, if the games were properly scheduled, gate receipts would cover a considerable portion of this cost.

We strongly urge that the sport be inaugurated here next fall in accordance with a plan similar to that outlined above. The popularity which it has experienced at those places where it has been tried, and the fact that it is to be adopted at other institutions next year, augur well for the game's success here. The Princetonian